Earlier today, news broke that the WWE has released one half of The Vaudevillains, Simon Gotch.
WWE granted the release of former NXT Tag Team Champion Simon Gotch on Wednesday afternoon. WWE issued the following statement:
“WWE has come to terms on a mutually agreed upon release with Simon Gotch as of today, April 5, 2017. WWE wishes Gotch the best in all his future endeavors.”
Gotch signed with WWE in 2013 and started working in NXT, which is the developmental brand for the company. He won the NXT Tag Team Championships with Aiden English in August of 2015. He was called up to the main roster in April of 2016 on an episode of SmackDown. His last appearance on WWE television was at WrestleMania 33 as he competed in the fourth annual Andre The Giant Memorial battle royal. He worked his last WWE match on Tuesday night in a dark match against American Alpha at the SmackDown TV event in Orlando, FL.
Future endeavored – the first one of the season, and likely won’t be the last as the WWE approaches its annual “spring cleaning” spree. You never like to hear about people losing their jobs, but that’s especially true when the wrestler had immense talent. That’s Gotch – and his partner, Aiden English, for that matter.
We don’t really know what happened, though. Nothing has been said other than this was a mutual agreement. So, it’s assumed that Gotch asked for his release and was granted it. Could it be that he is still held responsible for Enzo Amore’s concussion last year? Was it his involvement in his altercation with Sin Cara backstage? Did something put him in the dog house? Or, was he just tired of being thrown out immediately in battle royals? We might not know for a while.
Regardless, I don’t get it. It amazes me how they get some things so right and some so wrong. Look at Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. Some of you may argue that they should push these guys to the moon, but they’ve gotten it right so far. AJ Styles is another guy they’ve excelled with. Even their developmental projects like Baron Corbin and Braun Strowman have really found their stride.
But, for every one of those guys, there’s a Damien Sandow, Wade Barrett, Ascension, or Vaudevillains.
The Vaudevillains gimmick was incredibly unique. The entire entrance, music, presentation, outfits – all of it was fresh, creative, and entertaining. Upon arriving on SmackDown last year, they were thrust into the Tag Team Championship picture right away and had a great match with the New Day for the titles. After that, they faded out into oblivion and never really came back.
Perhaps their best work was their face run in NXT as the NXT Tag Team Champions. I saw these guys firsthand when they came to Nashville, and can honestly say they were one of the best parts of the night. The crowd was clapping along to their entrance music, hitting all the signature chants including “that was manly!” and “you’re not manly!” In one sentence, it was a fucking blast.
And, what made it all work, was the fact the dudes were talented in the ring. They had their shtick that was over, but when the chips were down, they could flat out go.
Things may be different if WWE had elected to continue the NXT act on the main roster, but they didn’t. The silver lining here is that Gotch has the makeup to have a legendary indy run here. If the departure was amicable, as I’m assuming it is because it was a ‘mutual agreement,’ then the door’s always open for a return on down the line, anyway. For English, maybe this is an opportunity to branch out and become a strong singles character.
Regardless, the Vaudevillains have to be considered a failed project on the main roster. But, that is solely on the WWE.
Stoney Keeley is the editor of the SoBros Network and covers the WWE for WrestlingNews.co. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley, @WrestlingNewsCo
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